This invention relates to photographic exposure control systems and, more particularly, to a automatic exposure control system employing a shutter latching arrangement.
Electrically driven exposure control systems are advantageous in that they minimize operator requirements of shutter recocking, etc. and are particularly suited for electronic control. For conservation of power, such systems require provision of a stable, de-energized shutter condition when the camera apparatus is not undergoing exposure operations. An exemplary system of this type is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,128 issued to John P. Burgarella et al. on June 25, 1974 wherein a compact, automated single lens reflex camera is described, and which includes a shutter-diaphragm system having shutter blades mechanically biased to an open (viewing) position and electrically biased to a closed position. Advantaeously, the exposure system of the above-noted patent is electrically sequenced to provide precise control over the exposure operation. That is, both the initiation and termination of the exposure interval are electrically rather than mechanically determined and, accordingly, may be precisely controlled. However, while this system is particularly adapted for through the lens viewing and provides a normally open shutter, it can be understood that it would also be desirable to provide a normally closed arrangement without compromise in the system advantages.
Consequently, it is an important object of this invention to provide an improved photographic exposure control system.
It is another primary object of this invention to provide an improved electrically driven exposure control system.
It is still another object of this invention to provide an exposure control system having a latched shutter arrangement.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an exposure control system having a latched shutter arrangement releaseable in accordance with electromechanical control.